P eopl e working with tec hno l o g y i n r e m o t e c o m m uni t i e s

Number 30

BUSH TECHS
Protecting your water places
Making technical information
easy to read
and understand

Fencing Bonya Airstrip

Kwatye Mwerre (good water)

Enterprising work on country

 BUSHLIFE 3

Land and Culture,

Number 30
necessary but not
Cont e n t s
3 Bushlife
sufficient for the
future: identity in
Land and Culture, necessary but not sufficient for the future: identity in
the 21st Century

5 News
Front cover
7 Outlook

the 21st Century

Children from Santa Teresa at Salt
Kwatye mwerre: getting good water in Indigenous communities
Spring assisting Greening Australia re-
10 Projects strain the cables of the CAT camel fence.
Fencing Bonya airstrip: an example of ITS at work May - June 2007

Centre Pages BUSH TECHS Rosalie Kunoth Monks.

#35 Protecting your water places
#36 Making technical information easy to read and understand.

12 Education and training Our Place

The Desert Peoples Centre: ‘a catalyst for change in the desert’
14 Livelihoods
Enterprising Work on Country: incentives for biodiversity conservation and
well-being
17 International
One Laptop Per Child – recent developments in personal computers
for children
19 Review
Children’s Participation
The Community Planning Handbook
20 The CAT Art Rack
In this edition of Our Place we reproduce a
powerful speech given by local elder Rosa-
lie Kunoth Monks at the Desert Knowledge
Conference last November. On page 7 Nerida
Beard outlines some of the key challenges for
remote community water supplies. On page
10 Peter Renehan gives an in depth look at the
Integrated Technical Services field work un-
derway north east of Alice Springs.
On page 16 Jocelyn Davies provides a thought
provoking article that draws on recent re-
search undertaken in the Spinifex deserts re-
gions. It explores using market based incen-
tives to support work on country as well as
biodiversity conservation. This is a timely
article given the current political emphasis on
supporting real employment opportunities for
Aboriginal peoples and managing the impact
of climate change.
Elsewhere we have an article looking at the
development of the Desert Peoples Centre
and on page 17 Andrew Crouch provides an
overview of the One Hundred Dollar laptop
project. Our BUSH TECH #35 looks at pro-
tecting your water places using the CAT cam-
el fence and BUSH TECH #36 presents some
tips for making technical information easy to
read and understand.
We hope you enjoy this 30th edition of Our
Place.
Metta Young
Policy Impact and Communications Manager
Centre for Appropriate Technology
Alice Springs
ISSN: 1325-7684
Our Place is published three times a year
by the Centre for Appropriate Technology,
an Indigenous science and technology or-
ganisation, which seeks to secure sustain-
able livelihoods through appropriate tech-
nology.
Subscriptions: Free to people living or
working in Indigenous communities.
Tel: (08) 8951 4311
Email: ourplace@icat.org.au
Opinions expressed in Our Place are those
of the authors and not necessarily those of
the CAT Board or staff.
WARNING This magazine contains im-
ages of Indigenous and non-indigenous
people. Caution should be exercised while
reading this magazine, as some of these im-
ages may be of deceased persons.
Our Place Number 30, 2007
© Centre for Appropriate Technology Inc.
32 Priest Street, Alice Springs NT 0870
Print Post: 545270/00016
Production/design: Jo Boniface
Bushtech design: Iben Hansen
Editing: Metta Young, Peter Taylor
Printing by Colemans Printing
The production of Our Place is funded by
the Department of Families, Community
Services and Indigenous Affairs.
Speech given by Rosalie Kunoth Monks at the Desert
Knowledge Conference, Alice Springs, November 2006.
There have been many fine words written and
spoken about Aboriginal land and culture over
the years. I would like to heartily endorse all
of the positive sentiment that has surrounded
these writings and the good intentions of the
writers.
It has long been argued passionately that with-
out land we are nothing and the combination of
land and culture provides us with the ‘compass’
to life. If I look back at my past I can see where
there is a picture of great cohesiveness within a
tribal group that has arisen from a strong con-
nection to land and culture. It is in this setting
that the caring and sharing was real.
In the past sacred objects were positioned in
places where they were essential to survival.
The old people had the ability to read the en-
vironment and know when shortage of food or
water or some other life giving force was im-
minent. They would tell us something was in
short supply and we had to tighten our belts as
it were. We were instructed not to hurt or take
certain species until they had regenerated. In
these times there was a reason for discipline,
skin relations, sacred songs and performance
of ritual because it strengthened survival.
Today I am left wondering and as a leader I
am torn by my heart and my memories and at
the same time I have to be honest with myself
and my people and face the realities. When I
visit my community now I no longer find co-
hesion. In place of caring and sharing I find
sickness, violence and self-harm.
The sacred objects and the sacred ceremonies
are few and far between. People are not at-
tending, they take less time to learn and per-
form, stories are short cut. In many situations
that I have been personally involved in where
traditionally people mourned the dead and
absolved the family and relations, I now find
people can’t wait to split the limited posses-
sions of the dead. Where once I would pass
my coolamon on to my grand-daughter now
people are worried for the car, and the fridge
and the clothes that are fought for around the
graveside.
When I look for people seriously attempting
to sustain themselves on the land, there are
some who are hunting for recreational benefit,
but few people seriously believe that hunting
is more than this in sustaining life these days.
Some family are on small parcels of land but
don’t have a plan for that land, even one that
manages the availability of the resources on
that land. There is very little denial in times
of shortage and little adjustment to lifestyle
or discipline involved in management of the
environment.
We now want rewards in the form of money
and possession, even though we don’t convert
these to new forms of wealth. Group hunting
is gone, we don’t bring common goods back
to the community rather people stay out bush
consuming things on their own.
The breakdown of law and order and the
conspiracy of silence is a serious new issue
to some. It is a concern to me that this has
in fact been disappearing for some time and
there is no longer a strong framework of land
and culture to provide for and sustain the har-
mony and responsibility we were known for
in the past. It is the case that in many parts the
only dreaming is that of the people who yearn
for the past and wish to tie us back to that past.
Here I include Indigenous and non-Indigenous
people. Increased technology and mobility in
cars and phones has hastened these changes –
and we can’t go back. Our Indigenous instinct
has been to try to adapt and connect on our
own terms – but it is increasingly difficult.
In essence I am proud of my memories and
my history but I am not proud of what we cur-
rently see and the way our younger generation
is responding. We face a clash of cultures. We
are all on personal journeys but ultimately we
are all on a journey of change. We are not
static museum pieces and we are now citizens
of the globe not just our small ‘nation’ on tra-
ditional land. The irony is that the nostalgic
view of Indigenous people is that we survived
through adaptability and resilience – yet in the
4 BUSHLIFE
face of globalism we appear unable to adapt.
Some of our young Indigenous response has
been to adapt and resist by borrowing from
other cultures. How did hip hop get in there?
So what is it that is important to retain in this
process of change. In times where land and
culture appear to have forsaken us, what is it
that we need to establish more than anything.
I put it to you that if we are to accept change
then it must not come at the expense of identity.
The concept of identity is complex and in-
cludes the symbolic importance of land and
culture but it also allows for an individual re-
sponse to change. Identity as an Aboriginal
person, acceptance of yourself, is the most
important piece of knowledge that Aboriginal
people can have for the future.
Identity is not a right as such, rather it is some-
thing you develop yourself. A lot of our people
today do not know where they belong. They
can’t go forward and they can’t go back and
they are becoming aggressive and self-destruc-
tive. You lose your culture through the choices
you take or the choices circumstance forces
you to take albeit reluctantly. Culture cannot
be taken away; it is given away or reinforced
with every decision that an individual makes.
The other reason I think identity is important
is that it focuses on a personal approach to the
future by providing a sense of self that can sur-
vive outside land and culture. If we rely only
on identifying with land and culture we become
tied to customary practice rather than facing the
future and what needs to be done today.
We can no longer be tied to the land through
the old ways, although there are many as I said
earlier who think romantically that we should
always respond to new situations through cus-
tomary eyes and practices without adopting
new approaches. This is why the groups I am
involved with have spent so much time work-
ing with desert knowledge because we need
new knowledge and the situations we face are
new situations.
The knowledge of the past is captured in the
land and cultural practices that bound it to-
gether and made sense of it. Our knowledge
for the future requires more than this. As an
elder if you ignore this reality you are not be-
ing real to yourself or a true leader to your
people. We can’t get our rich history back; in
fact many of the older people I talk with don’t
actually want it back. People are responding
with their feet where they can. Where people
have new knowledge and full understanding
of that they make responsible and good deci-
sions that help them to further establish their
identity as Aboriginal people in 2006.
If we seriously look back at our attempts to
live our culture over the changes of the last
30 years we would have to admit that we have
not been able to sustain culture in the way I
described it earlier. What it has done to our
men, our women and our kids is now before
us and it is not good. I think we have reached
a point where we need to know our culture to
what ever level is appropriate for our particu-
lar living circumstances but then move on to
the decisions we have to make today to enjoy
the benefits of living in 2006.
Noel Pearson talks about our ability to move
in different orbits. His comments are carefully
crafted around Cape York history and oppor-
tunities. I am worried about desert peoples.
In that regard one thing is sure. No longer is
reliance on land and culture sufficient. People
more and more use these as an excuse for not
performing and not taking difficult decisions
– they are locked into stationary orbit. One of
our problems is that everyone else is trying to
think of the solutions for us instead of resourc-
ing us to learn lessons and make mistakes on
our own.
What I am finding in the shared journey
through the desert knowledge work is that we
are able to learn side by side more. We are at
a cross roads, we need to choose carefully and
quickly.
I am hurting inside and I say this with huge
pain – but for our survival this is where we
need to go. We are on a path of cultural suicide
if we continue to smash up against today’s
world. We have to begin by accepting some
blame ourselves for the choices and decisions
we have taken and accept responsibility for
our future.
Being a victim cannot be part of the identity
that we seek. Political correctness will not get
us over the line. The keys to discovering our
identity are in self-awareness, group aware-
ness and our ability to access new knowledge
through education and shared life experienc-
es.
In the past we found identity through sepa-
rateness. Our new identity has to be part of a
much bigger picture. Aboriginal identity has
to take us beyond land and culture.
Many people have been confused about the
recent policy debates around viability and sus-
tainability of communities and mainstreaming
of services. These matters are seen by some
as urgent issues. It is my belief that the confu-
sion will only be resolved through a new sense
of identity, because through that people will
connect to future pathways of local, national
and international interests. Government may
shape the policy and funding environment,
newspapers will provide commentary, but we
are the ones who decide to accept or reject the
opportunities presented.
I am sure that the significant population of
Indigenous people in the NT will mean iden-
tity in desert Australia will be very different
to the sense of identity on the east coast. The
Rosalie Kunoth Monks speaking at the
Desertmob Dancesite performance.
catalyst of change that we talk about in the
Desert Peoples Centre has to begin with indi-
viduals making decisions to change. Neither
the decisions nor the changes can be forced.
The DPC is not compulsory education – it in-
volves choice, commitment and a desire for
change. For these reasons the DPC may be a
point for debate and discussion but our desire
is to bring a positive contribution to peoples
journeys. The DPC will work with people and
create an environment where they can explore
their identity as global citizens living in desert
Australia. Desert Knowledge provides space
for us to develop a new kind of connection to
country, across country and internationally.
My hope for the next generation is that we
gather the new knowledge and make good de-
cisions and make the change that will create
our identity as a people of the world.
NEWS 5
Improving communications
services in remote Indigenous
communities
The Centre for Appropriate Technology has been successful in win-
ning three Regional Agent contracts through the Commonwealth De-
partment of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
(DCITA) as part of the Backing Indigenous Ability (BIA) telecommu-
nications program. The work of Regional Agents is to visit communi-
ties and provide information about what telecommunications support is
available through the BIA program and also identify any infrastructure
issues, needs and potential demand for telecommunications services in
each community. Regional Agents can assist communities with the ap-
plication process for Internet access, Videoconferencing, Training and
Skills development and developing Indigenous Online content. They
will also help with setting up videoconferencing and internet access
Bentinck Island, Gulf of Carpentaria.
facilities, make sure they have been installed correctly and are opera-
tional. Regional Agents will also support the community to use these
facilities for social and economic purposes and assist with maintenance
issues and technical troubleshooting.
Work kicks off in western CAT will be commencing work with communities in the North Queens-
Queensland land region (Townsville, Cairns and the Cape) the Queensland gulf
country (Mt Isa and surrounds) and the southern half of the Northern
Territory. Contact CAT on (08) 8951 4311 if you would like any further
Over the next 12 months, staff in our north Queensland office will be
information.
working with two communities in western Queensland to support es-
sential service delivery and maintenance on housing and community
infrastructure. The project is called the Homeland Support Project and
is funded by the Department of Families and Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs. Internet facilities at (top) Ali Curung (bottom) Nyirripi.
The project’s overall objective is to see people living safely in estab-
lished sustainable communities and homelands of their choice, in this
case, the homeland communities of Marmanya and Bentinck Island in
western Queensland.
Bentinck Island is located in the Gulf of Carpentaria, approximately 40
kilometres southeast of Mornington Island in the Wellesley Group. It
is the second largest of the cluster of continental islands known as the
South Wellesley Islands. The island comprises a total area of approxi-
mately 13 883 hectares.
Marmanya is a small community located near Urandangie, approximate-
ly 197 kilometres south west of Mount Isa in north-west Queensland.
The project will focus on:
• Co-ordinating repairs and maintenance on community infrastructure.
Initially, this will involve a technical assessment of existing infra-
structure and essential services.
• Consulting with all stakeholders including community members,
community groups and government agencies to research options for
sustainable and cost-effective governance and service delivery.
• Identifying appropriate levels of community-based governance
and servicing of community infrastructure. CAT will be providing
practical training and support to community members and governing
groups where needed – our aim is to develop and support community
capacity.
• Recommending sustainable options for future governance and serv-
ice delivery arrangements.
For more information contact the CAT Cairns office on (07) 4031 0505
6 NEWS
The CAT Board: long-serving and strategic leadership
CAT recently held a presentation dinner to recognise the commitment and leadership of its Board members.
Current Board members have guided the organisation for a combined total of more than eighty years. Whilst
changes in policy, and funding have been volatile in recent years, CAT’s Board has diligently focused on
building a long term vision for the breadth and quality of the services provided by the organisation. This has
seen the organisation double in size over recent years and secure a reputation for credible and effective tech-
nical services to remote communities of Indigenous people. The presentation dinner celebrated the outstand-
ing contribution and years of consecutive service of the following Board members. Jim Bray, Chairman, 19
years of service to the Board, Jeannie Liddle,18 years of service, Jenny Kroker, 13 years of service, Frank
Curtis, 12 years of service, Noel Hayes, 10 years of service, Rose Kunoth-Monks, 10 years of service. The
dinner also welcomed Steve Hirvonen as a relatively new member of the Board. Board members were pre-
Jim Bray with his portrait. sented with Certificates of Appreciation. Jim Bray was also presented with a portrait commissioned by CAT
and painted by Ron Talbot, an ex long serving CAT staff member.
The Solar Technology Student researcher tackles
Demonstration Facility scale prevention
An exciting and innovative new solar project is being developed in Al- James Newman recently completed a Summer Scholarship with the
ice Springs reinforcing its position as a major hub for the renewable en- Centre for Appropriate Technology. James, from the Wiradjuri Abo-
ergy industry in Australia. The Solar Technology Demonstration Facil- riginal Nation in western NSW, is a 3rd year mature-age student of
ity (STDF) is being developed within the Desert Knowledge Precinct to Environmental Science at Southern Cross University in Lismore, with
demonstrate a range of solar energy technologies suitable for application a diverse background in auto mechanics, tour guiding, television, the
in residential and commercial environments. army and outdoor education. James had a keen interest in applying his
recent science studies to water quality problems in remote communities
whilst experiencing Central Australia.
The Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment
(CRCWQT) fund a major component of the water research and technical
advice program at CAT. Every year, CAT and other CRC research part-
ners across Australia take on a student to work on a research project for 10
weeks over the summer university break as part of their national Summer
Scholarship scheme. The scheme provides on-the-job research training
for university students who are recently graduated or are commencing
Simulated designs for the Solar Technology
their final year of study. James was the recipient of an Indigenous sum-
Demonstration Facility at the Desert Knowledge Precinct.
mer research scholarship this year, and one of 16 summer students from
around the country who delivered his project results back to the funding
The facility will be highly visible and easily accessible to the public.
body in Melbourne at the end of his scholarship.
The facility will demonstrate the solar technologies in a fully operation-
al, commercially scaled, situation. It will promote the uptake of solar
technology, provide training facilities for the maintenance and support of
solar technologies, compliment the work of Desert Knowledge Australia
promote the uptake of solar technology.
The STDF will consist of four components:
• an interpretative centre in a location readily accessible to the public,
• the actual technology demonstration systems,
• an education walk through the precinct, and
• an interactive website that provides live data feeds from the STDF
and information on the operational performance of the different solar Images of James Newman’s research work.
technologies.
James’ research project reviewed current off-the-shelf ‘scale prevention’
The interpretative centre will provide information on the solar industry in devices and evaluated their suitability for remote communities. Calcium
general and in particular the technologies installed at the demonstration scale is a problem in many central Australian community water supplies,
facility. Education programs for schools will also be developed. causing blockages and eventual failure of tap fittings, shower roses,
evaporative air conditioners and hot water systems and increases the fre-
Power production from the STDF will help level out the peak-load de- quency of maintenance required to pipes and household plumbing.
mands from the Precinct, particularly during the summer months.
James’ research report, entitled ‘Technical review of small-scale, robust
Funding for this project has been provided by the Australian Greenhouse household scale prevention methods for use in remote area Aboriginal com-
Office and the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fish- munities’ is now available from CAT. James is now working with Desert
eries and Mines (DPIFM) with funds from the Remote Renewable Power Channels Queensland assisting traditional owners in western Queensland to
Generation Rebate Program. The project is being managed by the Centre record their traditional knowledge using digital technology.
for Appropriate Technology, utilising the knowledge generated by the
Bushlight program, on behalf of the project proponent, Desert Knowl- To obtain a copy of the Scale Prevention report phone (08) 8951 4311
edge Australia. (or visit our website).
Kwatye mwerre:
getting good
water in
Indigenous
communities
Internationally, it is recognised that small communities experience
greater challenges in maintaining reliable water supply and quality than
their larger counterparts (NHMRC 2005, MoH 2005, WHO 2005). Re-
gional Australian communities face these challenges too, particularly in
small, remote settlements. In remote Australia, choices of water source
are often limited. Vast distances limit external services, technologies
can be unsuitable to local conditions and residents’ skills and capabili-
ties are frequently under utilised. Many systemic water supply failures
can be traced back to a lack of targeted recurrent investment, care and
attention, resident involvement and ownership, appropriate support and
forward planning to effectively manage the risks to community water
supplies. The end result is that small homelands and even larger com-
munities are running out of water, or are inadvertently reliant on poor
quality supplies.
After around thirty years of settlement and little recurrent funding or
continuity in ongoing management, many of these community water
supplies are experiencing problems with water quantity and/or quality,
impacting on the service life of infrastructure, the utility of household
hardware and the health of residents.
This article argues that the true cost of this ‘failure management’, is
unavoidable long delays for residents between problem identification
and response, often without water, and higher capital and maintenance
costs for governments. There is both a need and an opportunity to
harness local skills and capacity through developing local responses to
water risks and linking these to regionalised support, to provide opera-
tional continuity for remote community water supplies.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In many of the nearly 1200 remote communities and outstations dotted
across Australia, extraction of water for small community supplies is
often through ageing stock bores or informal surface water extraction.
During the 1970s, many Aboriginal people moved back to traditional
homelands, settling near existing water sources such as old cattle sta-
tion and stock route bores. Investment in infrastructure since that time
by governments in housing, roads, schools, clinics and community cen-
tres have fortified these settlements across remote parts of the coun-
try, with water supply characterised by ad-hoc capital investment for
breakdown replacement and little investment in recurrent operations
and maintenance into the future.
CURRENT SITUATION
Nationally, over half the population of discrete Aboriginal communities
rely on groundwater for their water supply, an estimated 48 511 people,
living in 694 locations nationwide (ABS 2007). There is a growing
body of evidence that community water supplies are under-maintained,
OUTLOOK 7
and available quantities in many locations are in decline. Groundwaters
in arid areas also commonly consist of high concentrations of minerals,
often described as ‘hard water’, that can cause problems for infrastruc-
ture such as rapid failure of hot water systems, air conditioners and
toilet cisterns, and are unsuitable for many urban household technolo-
gies designed for softer waters. Residents often make minor band-aid
improvements with available skills and little support. Infrastructure is
most often only funded and replaced if it has catastrophically failed,
and governments are forced to ‘bail out’ a failed water supply at great
expense. Keeping water supplies functioning in an affordable and ef-
ficient way in Australia’s remotest areas appears to have been system-
atically unaddressed.
Exceptions may exist in few cases, perhaps where communities near
regional centres have been connected to town supplies, or larger com-
munities may have secured ongoing maintenance by a recurrently
funded service provider. However, recent ABS national survey data
shows that over half of the discrete Indigenous community population
(54%) living in settlements with greater than 50 residents are experi-
encing interruptions to their water supply; suggesting that even in these
‘larger’ Indigenous communities under service delivery regimes, there
are largely unaddressed water supply challenges (ABS 2007).
Arguably, poor planning has been a contributing factor to depletion
of bore water sources; the bulk purchasing and installation of water-
intensive technologies without consideration for the applicability to
local living environments (such as the urban flush toilet and evapora-
tive air conditioners). The challenge in remote settlements is to utilise
smarter (lower cost, more efficient, user-friendly) and more regionally-
appropriate (to climate, geography, local skills) ways of gaining the ba-
sic services required to support healthy lifestyles, without the negative
consequences of wasting valuable water and economic resources. In a
climate of depletion of water supplies nationally, this challenge is no
more keenly felt than in desert communities such as Mulga Bore. They
have limited water source options and governance of their water supply
is assumed by external agencies, themselves vulnerable to policy shifts,
staff turnover and funding changes.
Water supply repairs at Mulga Bore.
MULGA BORE KWATYE (Water)
Mulga Bore is located approximately 250km north-east of Alice Springs,
and is home to a fluctuating population of 60-100 Anmatjere and east-
ern Arrernte people, which can swell to over 200 people during cultural
and social events. In early 2007, CAT was asked both by leaders of
Mulga Bore and their local government agency, Anmatjere Community
Government Council, to assist them to develop ways to tackle recurring
water supply scarcity. In late 2006, Mulga Bore residents were fed up
from experiencing daily water supply cuts, with the bore running out
8 OUTLOOK
Water system infrastructure and community consultation at Mulga Bore.
every afternoon; the Resource Agency staff
were at wits end from paying contractors to
drive from Alice Springs to fix the same prob-
lems again and again. A risk management
approach was used which included consulta-
tion with residents and infrastructure surveys
to identify risks and improvements to their
water supply. Recommendations were pro-
vided to Anmatjere CGC and the Department
of Families, Communities and Indigenous Af-
fairs and included upgrades to existing aged
infrastructure and the development of a risk
management plan that:
• clarifies responsibilities of stakeholders
for water services, funding and ongoing
management
• clarifies communication mechanisms be-
tween stakeholders
• clarifies water system requirements and
available skills
• identifies gaps and opportunities for devel-
oping local water management skills
• identifies issues for sustaining the water
supply into the future.
SERVICE DELIVERY
Anmatjere Community Government Council
(CGC) is a regional federation of 10 discrete
wards, dispersed across seven pastoral leases
(Holcombe and Sanders, 2005). The area cov-
ers a total land area of 3631km and includes
the township of Ti-Tree, three Aboriginal
freehold land parcels and six Aboriginal liv-
ing area excisions one of which Mulga Bore is
located within. Anmatjere CGC provides es-
sential municipal services to these 10 wards,
including water and energy supply, housing
maintenance and other selected services. With
just a few technical trade staff, a vast area to
cover and reliance on small grants applied for
annually, effective management of water sup-
plies is difficult to deliver.
WATER SUPPLY
The water system at the community was in-
spected (sanitary survey), groundwater bores
were tested for quality and flow, historical
water data was obtained and the water sup-
ply history and current issues discussed with
small focus groups of residents. The ground-
water source appeared to be of adequate quan-
tity, but locally restricted by the reliance upon
ageing bore infrastructure and a legacy of poor
maintenance. The kinds of population fluxes
at a small community like Mulga Bore can
alone present a challenge for the provision of
adequate water and sanitation.
There are well-sized water storages at the
site and no sources of biological contamina-
tion were evident. The source water quality
is high in nitrates, which presents a health risk
for bottle fed infants. (NHMRC 2004). In the
past a reverse osmosis water treatment sys-
tem had been installed, but without adequate
planned maintenance, skilled operation, and
the inability to meet the high costs associated
with such treatment systems the technology
failed. Such technologies are rarely able to be
supported to their required operating condi-
tions in small remote communities.
Although there was some resident knowledge
of the nitrate issue in the water supply, there
was not a clear understanding of the risks. A
focus group was held with women in the com-
munity about how to manage the risk to infants
and further follow-up work will be conducted
to deepen this understanding. The chances of
tapping a new supply in the vicinity, with low-
er nitrates are considered ‘poor to nil’ (Childs,
1990), so developing effective local processes
for managing risks associated with the water
supply is important. If managed appropri-
ately, rainwater tanks can provide an effective
backup system for clean drinking water, even
in arid areas (Grey-Gardner 2002). Low wa-
ter use appliances and waterless toilets would
also assist to conserve bore water supply at
the community. However, the community
has concerns about who will pay for them, the
need to define clear roles for who will serv-
ice and maintain them and conduct ongoing
maintenance. No technology can run without
maintenance and there are local human hands
with some of the skills that could be further
supported.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
During the assessment process, the ageing
bore failed altogether, leading to the commu-
nity being without running water for 10 days,
exposing residents to acute health risks. The
school toilet block was closed due to blocked
toilets full with human waste. This was repli-
OUTLOOK 9
mum, takes some skill, and more than being communities. High turnover of skilled staff –
able to fill a tank. There is a need for a dia- typical in many remote towns and communities
logue between community residents and the – makes this problem worse. REFERENCES:
rural water and infrastructure services sectors
to discuss new ways forward to improving The current costly, and short-term practice of ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics). 2007.
water supplies in remote areas. failure management is likely more expensive Housing and Infrastructure in Aboriginal and
over time compared to proactive planning, Torres Strait Islander Communities, Australia,
2006, edited by B. Pink. Canberra: Australian
Currently the people who are filling the tanks regular maintenance and investing in local
Government.
are all too often located outside the serviced resident skills and abilities to manage their
community, are overwhelmed with myriad water supplies. Cost-sharing arrangements Grey-Gardner, R. 2002. Mutitjulu rainwater
functions and occupied with crisis manage- could be discussed. Communities such as tank and point of use water treatment system
ment, ‘putting out fires’, with scarcely the Mulga Bore have already illustrated a will- trial’,. Paper read at 4th National Indigenous
resources and skills to devote to long-term ingness to pay for essential [energy] services Environmental Health Conference Proceedings,
planning and supporting communities to risk where the quality, continuity and standard is at Adelaide.
manage their water supplies. maintained. This could be replicated with the
Grey-Gardner, R. 2007 (in press). Remote Com-
community assuming a range of management munity Water Management Final Report. Alice
cated in a number of the four shared commu-
Investment in infrastructure is a recurrent, es- responsibilities for their water supply if sup- Springs: Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research
nity ablutions facilities. A few people reported
sential requirement that needs to be backed up port standards, similar to that available for Centre.
short-term diarrhoea of indeterminate cause
by clear responsibilities for recurrent mainte- their energy supplies, can be agreed. There
during the period; it is compelling to link this Holcombe, S. and W. Sanders. 2005. Anmatjere:
nance, specialist forward planning and skills are also opportunities to strengthen the human
to the unsanitary conditions. An emergency Representation in an early regional structure.
development. There may be scope for service capital of communities in the form of skills
response was supported by CAT consisting of Work-in-progress paper. Canberra: Centre for
provider arrangements to be negotiated region- development, training and jobs, linked to ru-
carted water, bore repairs, harnessing resident Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.
ally and enshrined in regional specific service ral economies, as the water industry is a large
labour and the significant goodwill of a near-
agreements, providing an opportunity for adap- employer nationwide. Ministry of Health. 2005. Small Drinking-water
by station owner who volunteered himself and
tive models for maintaining basic services that Supplies: Preparing a public health risk manage-
three staff for the field repairs. Due to a long
combine elements of community management Formal risk management frameworks – which ment plan. Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of
history of goodwill between the station and Health.
supported externally with longer-term water link available funding and community re-
the people of Mulga Bore, the station owner
resource and infrastructure planning. sources, through community engagement and
was happy to donate his time and staff re- NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research
understanding of water quality and quantity
sources to help the community get their water Council). 2005. Australian Drinking Water Guide-
The factors which have led to Mulga Bores’ standards to practical measures and identified lines - Community Water Planner: Australian
supply operating again. Two Anmatjere men
water supply problems reach across the policy ongoing responsibility - may provide a better Government.
from Mulga Bore who had worked on the sta-
and funding environment at all levels. Many long term basis for systemically improving
tion also applied their skills for the day. The
remote communities are not incorporated in understanding of all stakeholders in remote NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research
water supply was reinstated through a mix of Council) & NRMMC (Natural Resource Manage-
formal environmental health or water industry water supplies with the knowledge and capac-
locally-available skills at comparatively low ment Ministerial Council). 2004. Australian
systems which support regulation and manage- ity to achieve more sustainable outcomes for
cost, but unfortunately the bore was so old Drinking Water Guidelines: Commonwealth
ment of water supply. In their absence, local remote communities.
and corroded it didn’t last. The pump was Government of Australia.
and occasionally regional arrangements for self
then replaced giving the community and the
management have evolved over time. These WHO (World Health Organisation). 2005. Meeting
support agencies some breathing space to de-
arrangements are often overly reliant on the Nerida Beard on Small Community, Water Supply Management,
velop long term plans to secure and maintain Centre for Appropriate Technology
skills and expertise and attitudes of individuals at Reykjavik, Iceland 24-26 January.
the water supply. Alice Springs
- whether they be in funding and policy agen-
cies, local or regional service providers or local
THE WAY FORWARD
Effective approaches to addressing water sup-
ply issues in remote Australia are needed. The
Australian water sector nationally has a his- Energy Resources available from Bushlight
tory of continual improvement to urban water
Bushlight recently received support from A large variety of resources are available The resources and many others can be
supplies, and more recently developed a risk the Australian Greenhouse Office to adapt including: accessed and downloaded for free from
planning tool for managers of small water sup- resources that had been developed for
plies. It remains important to clarify the end
users of this tool and how small community
working with Indigenous communities, to Solar RE System user information www.bushlight.org.au
make them more suitable for use by the The Energy Money Story
residents can be assisted to use it to undertake Australian renewable energy industry. Educational packs for schools.
risk management activities locally. A recent
project supported by the Desert Knowledge
CRC and the Commonwealth Department
of Families, Community Services and Indig-
enous Affairs trialled the use of these tools
with five remote communities. The approach
required water practitioners to work alongside
community members to identify risks to water
supplies and locally-appropriate ways of man-
aging them. It had positive results in support-
ing residents to more actively manage risks to
their water supplies (Grey-Gardner 2007 {in
press}).
There is a need for an honest acknowledge-
ment that managing small water supplies in a
way that keeps the water flowing, at a mini-
10 PROJECTS
Fencing Bonya airstrip:
an example of ITS at work
May - June 2007
ITS team at work fencing the airstrip at Bonya.
Integrated Technical Services (ITS) was im-
plemented by the Centre for Appropriate Tech-
nology (CAT) in late 2006, and has started to
focus on the Plenty Highway region in central
Australia North East of Alice Springs. The
ITS project aims to achieve sustainable and
meaningful outcomes for remote Indigenous
communities through trialling and demon-
strating an integrated approach to all aspects
of technical services: planning, delivery and
ongoing management.
The Arramwelke Resource Agency is located
at Bonya on the Plenty Highway about 400
kilometres from Alice Springs. Most of its
services come by road with supplies for the
store trucked in once a month with the mail
plane coming once a week. The airstrip is
looked upon as providing an important link
between the community and the outside world
both for mail but also for emergency medical
evacuation if and when the need arose.
When Tim Day and myself from CAT met with
Tony Hazelwood, the CEO of Arramwelke
Resource Agency, to discuss the ITS project
and to start scoping some ways of assisting
the community, one of the main issues which
came up was the airstrip. Pilots had com-
plained that the airstrip was unsafe because of
wandering stock and advised that the Royal
Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) may not land
there if there was an emergency. Also, doc-
tors and other health professionals would visit
more often if they could travel by air.
The airstrip is classified as an Aircraft Land-
ing Area (ALA) which means that it is unregu-
lated, it did not meet RFDS standard require-
ments and that a plane would only land at the
pilot’s discretion. Having a safe and reliable
airstrip was a high priority for the commu-
nity.
To become suitable for emergency use, the
airstrip needed a number of improvements.
The main priority was to put a fence around
it to keep cattle out. As Bonya is surrounded
by the Jervois cattle station, the biggest issue
for pilots was having three major cattle pads
going across the strip from grazing fields to-
wards the east, to the nearest watering point
on the western side of the airstrip. This meant
that cattle were constantly traversing the area,
as well as utilising shade trees on northern
surroundings of the airstrip to camp during
the hotter parts of the day. A fence would
also help to keep cars off the airstrip, and it
was agreed that a designated car parking area
would be better. Another priority was to put
in a pit toilet, some shelter and water sup-
plies for use by people waiting for planes or
to be picked up. The need for this was brought
home by an incident in the Top End, where an
elderly man was dropped off at a remote air-
strip by the Health service, and then perished
because of lack of water and shelter.
It was thought that there would not be a press-
ing need to have all the RFDS specifications
from the outset; however it was understood
that RFDS would be able to land there in
emergencies during daylight hours, if some
things were fixed straight away.
After taking some GPS readings, measuring
the length and width of the airstrip and taking
various photos, ITS was then armed with suf-
ficient evidence to start making enquiries into
standards, requirements and specifications of
making the strip into what suited the needs of
the community.
There was an agreement to work in partner-
ship where ITS would assist the community
with fencing the airstrip by providing some
resources such as design expertise, equipment
and transport. The ITS truck would be utilised
by the community to deliver machinery and
materials to and from town. In turn, the com-
munity would be able to provide some local
labour, materials and the use of heavy machin-
ery to assist with clearing, loading and carting
of materials, as well as expert local knowl-
edge too. This sharing of resources kept costs
to a minimum.
To make sure nobody was at risk of be-
ing abandoned without shelter or water, ITS
was to utilise a disused shade shelter from
Old Bonya to be re-installed, with guttering,
rainwater tank and sink facilities down at the
airstrip. An old CAT pit toilet will also be re-
located to the strip, and a hard stand area es-
tablished for the planes to park and start-up,
with tie down lugs included for particularly
windy or stormy days. With sufficient strip
length and width and a good package of other
improvements most of the RFDS specifica-
tions could be met in the one job, and it would
also serve the needs of the community. This
was turning into a perfect example of how ITS
could work.
At this stage ITS had fully recruited its Mobile
Service Team (MST), and typical of the CAT
way of doing things, Dave Allen and Karl
Micek were in Melbourne and Tasmania one
week and Bonya the next. Alice Springs local
William Orr made up the MST. After collect-
ing quotes, ordering then loading all materials
the MST set out to Bonya to make a start on
fencing the airstrip.
FIRST WEEK STARTING
14th MAY 2007
As in all cases of fencing we had to get all our
measurements correct for corner posts, and
ultimately, the fence line. Keeping in mind
regulations for airstrip widths, the MST began
working off a sketch plan drawn up previ-
ously by Tim Day on the initial scoping trip
to Bonya. Jock, the local Essential Services
Officer, was able to get hold of a grader from
the nearby cattle station and cleared the pro-
posed fenceline so we could run out barbed
wire without entanglements. This was to be
our guide to work off during construction of
the fence; however there were times when ex-
ecutive decisions and changes were needed to
be made onsite too. The corner posts needed
to go in first to allow the concrete to cure
before we could possibly strain any barbed
wire, so we were furiously digging holes 1m
deep by 300mm square at the top with crow-
bars and shovels. There were 26 holes dug for
this stage of the works, with a further 25 later
when chain mesh fence is installed around
hard stand and taxi-way areas.
Many sweat filled hours later, both William
Orr and myself proceeded to gather more blis-
ters on the Dropper Knocker or “Dolly” by
banging in as many star pickets as we could at
20m intervals between straining posts, at this
stage the minimum length of fence line need-
ed was to be 3km. The Dolly is a two and a
half inch steel pipe about 900mm long with a
closed weighted end that you slam down over
the top of star pickets to drive them into the
ground at about 350mm depth. If the ground is
hard it can take anywhere up to 25 hits to get
the picket to the recommended depth. Sadly
the ground on the airstrip was very hard, espe-
cially if you have soft computer/office hands
like me. William used this as a training exer-
cise to keep him fit for the up coming Finke
Desert Race in June so loved every minute of
it (show off). Karl and David continued to dig
and cement in straining posts at 500m inter-
vals along the line, this distance was chosen
as rolls of barb wire come packaged at that
length. At this stage local CDEP labourers
were not available due to being stranded at an-
PROJECTS 11
other location further along the Plenty High-
way near the Queensland border.
SECOND WEEK STARTING
21st MAY 2007
This week was a continuation of the previous,
but the addition of another two pairs of hands
was greatly appreciated by the MST. Two
local Indigenous employees at Bonya who
wanted to do extra work to top-up their CDEP
payments joined us. They were a fantastic ex-
ample of young Indigenous workers who were
very keen to assist in any way. When talking
with Tony Hazelwood later he mentioned that
having two Aboriginal people working on the
MST (Willy and myself) greatly assisted these
two men and made them feel more comfort-
able with coming to work over this week.
In the past, most locals would only want to
stay involved with contractors for a day or so,
however both men are keen to travel to other
locations or outstations to work side by side
with the MST in the future. This has been a
great result for ITS, and is how our Aboriginal
Mud –map of the airstrip upgrade plan.
Board has always wanted things to work in the
past, as well as into the future.
William, Dennis and I were now running out
four rolls of barbed wire at a time and then
straining them onto the now cured concreted
corner posts and straining posts. This was able This way all involved have had their needs met,
to be done by improvising a 2m length of pipe and everyone is pleased with the outcome.
attached to the back of the Toyota and plac-
ing the four rolls of barbed wire onto this to WRAP UP
run out. Once you have tied the wire to the Having gone from a point of despair earlier,
posts you just slowly drive the vehicle away about having to pay astronomical amounts of
towards the other post 500m down the track, money to get anything done by contractors in
then stop before the coils are empty. Tie wires, the region, or even assistance or help, Bonya
cut to size to tie the barbed wire onto the pick- community can now see a little light at the end
ets, were placed then used to tie each strand of of the tunnel. This problem – one of many –
wire as it was strained. When all four strands seemed impossible to resolve just a few short
were strained and tied to pickets it was time for weeks ago. The community have been as-
the aluminium spacers/spreaders to be placed tounded at the quality and quantity of work to
onto the wire at 6m intervals between pickets. date, and so have other service providers and
They are supplied in bundles of 40 with nails users, such as pilots and station people from
and tools to place them on the barbed wire. nearby who utilise the Bonya airstrip weekly.
Whatever spreaders could not be completed Already the community are looking around for
this week were to be done next week by local other possible projects that can be jointly ap-
CDEP workers, along with more levelling and proached using the same process as above. A
clearing of the hard start area with local ma- couple spring to mind straight away, such as fenc-
chinery. 1km of fence remains to be completed ing of water tanks on a hill to make them stock
on return by the MST, with a shade shelter and proof, and placement of fire hydrants near houses
toilet to be re-located and the hard-stand area on the water main ring loop, plus placement of
paved. All of this can now be done between overhead filling points near the workshop area
both parties as above, with sharing of costs, for roadworks and fire fighting purposes.
materials, labour and machinery. The installa-
tion of two cattle bayonets on the western side This has been a fantastic example of Integrat-
of the airstrip has also now been completed, to ed Technical Services at work, and shows that
allow any cattle trapped inside the fence to get communities only need a little assistance to
out without perishing, or needing someone to make life easier in remote Australia.
let them out through the two gateways installed
by the MST. This was a staunch requirement
from the station owner that was easily met Peter Renehan
through regular contact through the commu- Centre for Appropriate Technology
nity. They really want to keep him happy as Alice Springs
he has been good to the community for a long
time, and assisted in the past where possible.
12 LIVELIHOODS
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The Desert Peoples
Centre: ‘a catalyst for
change in the desert’
The Desert Peoples Centre is a consortium
formed by Batchelor Institute of Tertiary Edu-
cation (BIITE) and the Centre for Appropriate
Technology (CAT). It was established as an
organisational expression of the commitment
of both organisations to work together to de-
velop better, innovative links between educa-
tion and training and other services to achieve
more positive and sustainable outcomes for
Indigenous Australians, particularly residents
of desert Australia.
Desert Indigenous people’s outcomes from
both schooling and vocational education and
training (VET) are extremely poor. In recent
years outcomes from VET have been declin-
ing suggesting that both the content and deliv-
ery of training programs are struggling to meet
need and demand and respond to the range of
work and livelihoods activities existing or
emerging across the desert. Recognising that
improved outcomes will not materialize from
the same old approaches, the DPC seeks to
implement evidence based changes that can
secure improved educational outcomes and
life choices for Indigenous people.
Respectively BIITE and CAT have substantial
capacity in training, education and research
relevant to the development needs of Indig-
enous peoples in desert Australia, and have
established relationships with a wide range of
Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders.
Over time, the DPC is intended to:
• Explore and establish better opportunities
for involving and empowering Indigenous
people in the development of flexible and
innovative education and training responses
to their social, cultural and economic devel-
opment needs
• Explore and establish stronger education
training and employment outcomes through
better configurations of training, education,
case management of students/learners and
enhanced pathways through post secondary
education to employment, enterprise and
community livelihood outcomes.
James Bray (CAT), Barb Richards (BIITE), Harold Furber (DPC Board) and Karl
Hampton (MLA NTG) turning the sod.
• Explore and establish opportunities to better
link education and training activities with
business and government in innovation and
regional economic development.
It is intended that DPC will act as a coordina-
tor and broker of services, a promoter of ca-
pacity strengthening and the development of
sustainable livelihoods, an advocate for Abo-
riginal ideas and knowledge and a networker
linking individuals and communities to service
providers, government, business and industry,
and education and training providers.
The NT and Commonwealth Governments
have made substantial financial commit-
ments to DPC in financing the development of
DPC through the establishment of the Desert
Knowledge Precinct which, from 2008, will
provide a shared Alice Springs campus for
BIITE and CAT.
The DPC will be sited at the Desert Knowl-
edge Precinct alongside the Desert Knowledge
Australia Business and Innovation Centre, the
Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Cen-
tre, the CSIRO, the NT Department of Prima-
ry Industries, Fisheries and Mines, NT Parks
and Wildlife and Yirara Secondary Boarding
College. This co-location has the potential to
spearhead a range of opportunities for learn-
ers and consolidate pathways from school and
into further training and work.
Building the Vision
A sod-turning ceremony to mark the com-
mencement of the Desert Peoples Centre
buildings was held on the 12th April 2007.
The buildings will be clustered into theme
service areas that reflect the capacity of the
partner organisations and the range of skills,
knowledge and existing and emerging work
and livelihoods opportunities that underpin
the cultural social and economic development
of desert peoples. The theme service areas are:
Language and Culture, Learning, knowledge
Automotive course CAT; Pamela Lynch, Kaylene Hayes, Albert Mc Masters, Sheridan Lunch and Sabio George.
sharing and communication, Well-being and
human services, Human expression, Land and
resources, Technology and Infrastructure and
Livelihoods and economic futures. A residen-
tial complex and administration centre are
also planned and a range of support facilities
will be available to students on site.
The first buildings of Stage 1 are well into
their construction phases. Over the next year
five buildings will be constructed ready for
mid 2008. These are:
• Full commercial kitchen and eatery area
• Data centre, IT support and student support
• Trainer offices
• Wet science lab + food handling facility
• Clinic + training area
As the physical reality of the DPC precinct
begins to take shape, the DPC Board have ap-
pointed a Business Development Manager to
work with both CAT and BIITE in ensuring
that the DPC vision is supported by informed
and realistic long-term planning and imple-
mented through practical focused measures
for collaboration.
The Business Development Manager’s pri-
mary roles will be to
• Facilitate an organisational change proc-
ess across CAT and BIITE to secure the
focussed commitment of Boards and staff
on a practical and relevant vision to DPC
partnership over the next 5 years.
• Implement a strategic planning process
across both organisations to develop an
initial strategic/operational plan for the
DPC.
• Enhance the profile and understanding of
the DPC vision among Indigenous commu-
nities, governments and business sectors
(including DK Precinct partners) through
awareness-raising.
•. Identify strategic projects to demonstrate
benefits of DPC operations, and broker and/
EDUCATION AND TRAINING 13
or project manage their implementation.
A DPC Business Development Reference
Group, comprising senior staff nominated by
BIITE and CAT is being convened to support
the business development and planning proc-
esses.
Communications Infrastructure
All Partners on the Precinct will have access
to a fully integrated IP-based network. Some
individual systems will be shared, some may
not; but integration remains critical to the suc-
cessful implementation of this shared campus,
and the ICT infrastructure will support devel-
oping collaborations.
Driving this system design process is a clear
vision; information technology that is reli-
able, relevant and transparent. This will lead
to an integrated system that is fast, scalable
and has the potential for linkages across our
desert nodes.
14 LIVELIHOODS
Enterprising Work on
Country: incentives for
biodiversity conservation
and well-being
The region
Across the Spinifex deserts of Australia’s outback, a myriad of land
use and land management activities occur. Many of these activities are
linked to Aboriginal customary authority and responsibilities, includ-
ing the teaching and use of traditional knowledge, food production and
harvesting, and the maintenance of habitat resources. The biodiversity
values of the region are comparatively high because the diversity of
naturally occurring plants, animals and other organisms are still mostly
present, with some special sites such as desert wetlands, and rare plants
and animals. The relative integrity of Aboriginal traditional knowledge
systems provides a distinctive resource and capability for biodiversity
conservation.
Aboriginal people, numbering 14,500, form the vast majority of this
region’s sparse population. Incomes are very low and health very poor
compared to national benchmarks. Arts and craft production is the main
market activity. The most extensive land use is customary production
of food, although production is low compared to tropical regions. Cat-
tle grazing is a minor land use on the margins of the region. 15% of the
region is managed as part of the National Reserve System including as
Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) and around 64% is held under vari-
ous forms of title by Aboriginal groups. The region is characterised by a
very hot, dry climate, hummock grasslands (spinifex, Triodia spp) and
acacia and eucalypt woodlands.
Land management activities
Aboriginal landowners are highly motivated to do some land manage-
ment activities because the activities have a high private benefit to
them. This benefit is, for example, through food production and recog-
nition of their authority over country. These activities also often have
direct or indirect benefits for biodiversity conservation, thus benefiting
the Australian public at large. Some such activities are:
• burning, which creates habitat mosaics, and promotes availability of
some plants and animals valued by landowners
• maintenance of water sources, such as removing silt from natural
rock holes, which promotes habitat for water dependent native
animals, and which also often involves landholders in fencing to
exclude camels and other large feral animals
• customary and commercial harvest of plant foods.
The value to the Australian public of these kinds of activities is typi-
cally not well recognised. This value comes in part from the landhold-
ers’ actions in addressing threats to biodiversity such as changed fire
regimes (from lack of patch burning) and feral animal impacts.
LIVELIHOODS 15
Aboriginal landholders don’t necessarily set out to improve biodiver-
sity, but this is the outcome of these kinds of land management ac-
tivities. At the same time, landholders can have a positive impact on
This map incorporates data from the following sources
their own health, through better diet and regular exercise, and a positive and which is copyrighted to the Commonwealth of Australia 2006:
impact on the social and psychological factors that are important to
determining good health, such as a sense of control, and recognition of National Native Title Tribunal - Native Title Determination Areas
knowledge and skills. There are economic efficiencies from the time Geoscience Australia - Land Tenure Types
and other resources invested in land management activities because im- Department of Environemnt and Heritage - Sub-IBRA Boundaries
proved health and improvements in the natural environment are both
being produced: the whole is bigger than the sum of the parts. Tradi-
tional knowledge and language are maintained through these activities. Map of the Spinifex deserts and land tenure types.
The observational and other skills generated also contribute to capacity
for biodiversity conservation, to landowner motivation, and potentially Commercial bush harvest of plant foods provides some good pointers
to ‘readiness’ for other kinds of work roles.
Incentives for biodiversity
Landowners who invest time and money in maintaining and improving to understanding a market approach to biodiversity conservation. It is
biodiversity generally get no reward in the market place – e.g. no higher a rare example of market engagement in the Spinifex deserts that has
Paid work can provide incentives for landowners to address threats to developed with no government or Aboriginal organisation subsidy or
price for the goods and services they produce. Thus they may have
biodiversity that are not of inherent concern to them, such as weeds and support. Two things have been very important for this. Firstly harvest-
little incentive to manage their land for biodiversity. There is a case
high feral animal populations. But uptake of such work opportunities ers (Aboriginal women) have the necessary knowledge and skills and
for enabling more overt incentives to be applied for biodiversity con-
depends on other motivating factors being present such as a good rela- can easily access the simple tools they need for harvesting as well as
servation outcomes from Aboriginal lands that can also spin off much
tionship with the program coordinator/facilitator and an appealing team the permission they need under customary Law to harvest. Secondly,
needed economic, social and health benefits for those involved.
work approach that engages and builds on existing skills and knowl- wholesalers, or traders (individuals, small enterprises and joint ven-
edge. Respect for customary authority structures is important to all of tures), can link to harvesters, usually by face to face contact on bush
Market Based Instruments (MBIs) provide a way for landowners to get
this work – Tjukurpa is strong in the Spinifex deserts and no land man- trips for ordering and buying, and also link to people who want to buy
recognition for the value of the biodiversity benefits that come from
agement effort is sustainable unless this customary Law is respected. the bush foods. Thirdly, harvesters and traders can understand the terms
their land management practices, and a way to encourage landowners
to manage their land for biodiversity benefits. MBIs are policy tools that of trade: specific parts of a plant (eg fruits, seeds) cleaned and bagged
Grant funded biodiversity conservation projects are usually undertaken are traded for a price per kg which represents the market price.
encourage certain behaviours through market signals rather than ex-
by ‘mid-level’ organisations who operate across a region - the Land
plicit directives such as regulation. MBIs are being increasingly used in
Management Units of land councils and landholding bodies, or con- Commercial bush harvest engages harvesters willingly because finan-
Australian environmental management to ‘reward’ landowners for their
servation NGOs. These typically work with local organisations and cial incentives align with other incentives that have strong appeal to
investment in producing goods and services which are of broad public
individual landowners or small family groups but effort and outcomes them. These are related to expressing cultural identity, pride and confi-
benefit. The behavioural change that is sought through a biodiversity
are often dampened by short term funding and staffing turnover. Grant dence from using customary skills and knowledge and recognising the
MBI is in landowners’ management practices, to conserve biodiversity
funding and training resources are supporting the development of com- value of the activity to ‘outsiders’. Harvesters have flexibility in how
of high value and to reduce threats to biodiversity. This approach to bi-
munity ranger groups in the region, particularly in the NT, with appar- they do the harvesting – they can combine it with other activities that
odiversity conservation is being applied in the central Australian West
ently valuable outcomes for youth development as well as biodiversity are important to them, maybe getting food for family, or having a day
Macdonnell Ranges, part of the Maintaining Australia’s Biodiversity
conservation. out with kids and teaching them about country. Harvesters would not
Hotspots Programme, using a stewardship approach led by Greening
Australia and implemented by landowners who will bid for funds for have this flexibility if they were being employed to collect bush foods,
The CDEP projects run by outstation resource agencies and community and paid an hourly or daily rate.
stewardship activities which go beyond their duty of care.
councils have been critical in providing paid work for many landowners
in land management activities, providing infrastructure such as a pay- Commercial bush food harvest and market approaches to biodiversity
Well designed MBIs have the potential to deliver outcomes at lower
roll and an operating base, as well as base wages. Grant funding, often are different because government is always likely to be involved in
cost to government and with improved flexibility for landowners than
via the National Heritage Trust, provides critical support for project
many alternative policy options. However they require a good under- biodiversity conservation: government is the main ‘buyer’ of biodiver-
coordination, equipment and pay for landowners or ‘top up’ to CDEP
standing of landowner motivations, the appeal of different incentives, sity conservation services all around Australia. Nevertheless there are
wages. The transition from CDEP in the Northern Territory highlights
the use of a market to find cost effective approaches and how these many lessons for market approaches to biodiversity from commercial
the need for new ways of doing things.
might interact with other factors affecting landowner behaviour. bush food harvest. One lesson is that the ‘terms of trade’ need to be
16 LIVELIHOODS
clear. Aboriginal landowners and government need a shared under-
standing of how the ‘amount’ of biodiversity that landholders maintain
or enhance through their land management actions, and that govern-
ment agrees to pay them for, is going to be assessed or measured.
In the Spinifex deserts market signals about biodiversity conserva-
tion will very rarely be detected by Aboriginal landowners unless they
are communicated by mid-level actors. Individuals and organisations
in this mid-level space are interpreters or ‘translators’ between gov-
ernment and Aboriginal landowners. Effective mid-level actors can
engage with both groups, understand their motivations and incentive
structures and contract and maintain accountabilities with both. In the
commercial bush harvest of plant foods, wholesalers or traders fulfil
this critical mid-level role.
Harvesters get their market signals through the actions of wholesalers.
Wholesalers get market signals directly from their produce sales and
their own market research. They understand enough about the resource
and harvester activities to design supply systems and price incentives
that meet market demand. In contrast, retailers and consumers tend to
know very little about how the market signals they generate by selling
and buying products containing bush harvested ingredients (or not do-
ing so) actually impact on harvester behaviour.
Extending this supply and demand chain analogy to biodiversity con-
servation, government can be seen to be in the same position as re-
tailers and consumers of bush foods. As governments ‘turn the tap’
of land management support funding on or off, they directly influence
how much biodiversity conservation landowners do. Mid-level actors
have an analogous role in biodiversity conservation to that of wholesal-
ers in the bush food industry. Their relationships and communication
with landowners are critical factors in translating incentives offered by
government and other potential purchasers of biodiversity benefits into
changed actions and behaviours by landowners.
A well developed biodiversity value chain for the Spinifex desert re-
gion would have several components.
Purchasers of biodiversity outcomes, such as governments and industry.
Brokers: mid level actors (organisations, enterprises and individuals)
who understand purchaser requirements for biodiversity conservation
and also the assets, capabilities and motivations of landowner collec-
tives; who have clear incentives to make an effective match; and who
have the capacity to negotiate with both parties to achieve effective
contracts.
Landowner collectives with capacity to deliver to biodiversity conser-
vation outcomes sought by purchasers (either directly, through a ranger
workforce or by sub-contracting to other enterprises or individuals).
Individual landowners and family groups: members of landowner col-
lectives whose behaviours and actions are regulated by effective social
controls in place within the collective, such that their actions support
the biodiversity conservation outcomes being pursued by the collec-
tive, or at least do not detract from those outcomes.
An enterprising biodiversity economy
Contracting for biodiversity benefits offers a key opportunity to support
the development of an economy in Spinifex deserts in which landown-
ers realise benefit from their extensive landholdings in proportion to
effort rather than only seeking ‘rent’ or ‘royalty’ for use of the resources
from those lands by others.
Biodiversity services offer one of very few potentially commercial land
uses that Spinifex deserts Aboriginal landowners can pursue to address
current welfare dependency. They also offer the strongest option for
maintaining transmission of traditional ecological knowledge. Out-
comes from well designed action to achieve biodiversity benefits also
holds promise for considerable benefit to landowners’ health and well
being.
Arguably this integral relationship between knowledge, capacity, and
the health and well being of landowners needs to be better recognised in
national and regional planning for biodiversity conservation. Equally,
the importance to Aboriginal health and well being of sustaining Abo-
riginal landowners’ active engagement with their lands in the Spinifex
desert needs to be more overtly recognised in approaches to Aboriginal
development in the region.
A social enterprise model that values outcomes for health and well be-
ing as well as biodiversity outcomes is appropriate to developing ca-
pacity amongst landowner collectives for enhanced biodiversity ben-
efits in the Spinifex deserts. ‘Social enterprises’ are organisations that
trade in goods or services and link that trade to a social mission. Social
enterprises are generally held to comprise the more business like end of
the spectrum of non-government organisations, with at least half their
income derived from trading rather than from funding.
The social enterprise model is appropriate to developing markets for
biodiversity benefits in Spinifex deserts because of the array of inter-
dependent human capital and social issues which now limit Aboriginal
landowners’ capacity for market engagement. Social enterprise devel-
opment for biodiversity conservation could be pursued by matching
two investment streams: investment from social sectors of government
and philanthropic organisations in enterprise establishment, physical
asset management, human resources development and governance; and
a program to develop contracts in environmental monitoring and biodi-
versity asset management.
Key to the success of a social enterprise approach is recognition of the
variability and seasonality of work on country, driven as it is by cli-
mate and geography. Flexibility and diversity in the range of activities
pursued through contracts is important as is an incremental approach
to building landowner capacity. The nature and role of landholder or-
ganisations that can function as employers and contractors for biodi-
versity services needs to be worked through, as does the identity and
characteristics of effective broker organisations. Governments and in-
dustry readily purchase services in other sectors. This needs to extend
to recognising and valuing the benefits of biodiversity services. The
issue is paramount in this era of global warming because the threats to
biodiversity are increasing, and because effective fire management for
biodiversity will also have benefits for mitigating greenhouse gases.
Jocelyn Davies
CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and Desert Knowledge CRC
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Nic Gambold, Rodney Edwards, Jo Maloney, Fiona Walsh, Josie Douglas,
Central Land Council, Ngaanyatjarra Council, Stuart Whitten, David Campbell and
other contributors.
The research on which this article is based was undertaken by the Desert Knowledge
Cooperative Research Centre and its partners, funded by the Natural Heritage Trust
and managed by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and
Water Resources. Desert Knowledge CRC is supported by funding from the Australian
Government Cooperative Research Centres Programme.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of any of these
parties.
INTERNATIONAL 17
One Laptop Per Child – recent
developments in personal
computers for children
The evolution of personal ICT
Central to the effective function of any com-
munity are the closely linked activities of in-
formation management and communications.
Tools that enhance people’s information stor-
age, processing and communications capabili-
ties have been around for a long time (writ-
ing, drawing and signalling beacons come to
mind), but development of such tools (now
generally referred to as Information and Com-
munication Technologies or ICTs) has been
particularly rapid over the past fifty years,
with the dramatic miniaturisation and cost re-
duction of the underlying electronic technolo-
gies on which sophisticated tools have been
built. The portable radios of the 1950s con-
tained about 6 transistors; the processor alone
in the latest desktop computers contains about
300 million.
The personal computer is a well known ex-
ample of the evolution of these tools. It be-
gan as a stand-alone information processing Besse-Mae Renehan.
device about 30 years ago. Since that time
its processing power has increased by many
orders of magnitude and it has grown to in-
corporate an increasing range of communica-
The OLPC project
tions and presentation features as well. Personal computers are now
The OLPC computer project was launched in 2005 as a new research
expected to be able to connect to the Internet as a matter of course, and initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab in
to support a wide range of communications services, many of which the United States. Its aim is to develop a low cost laptop computer —
they share with mobile telephone devices. combining clever technology, large production volumes and low cost
with the aim of making educational computing accessible to the world’s
Because nearly all such devices now connect to a ‘network’ of some disadvantaged children. The project is expected to move into full scale
kind, the cost of using a personal computer is not just the cost of the production later in 2007.
hardware and software – there is a high cost associated with achieving
this connection with the wider world, and because of the competitive The computer is packed with technological features, and is currently
commercial nature of the provision of networks and communications, targeted at the low price of around $AUD200, with the aim of achiev-
the service providers build their own networks, much like the roads, ing even lower prices over time. As well as offering advanced laptop
railways and air routes of the transport system. This cost is of course computer features, it includes some features that are specifically de-
passed on to the user in the form of account fees and call charges, ex- signed for operation in challenging environments.
cept in cases where it is judged to be in the wider community interest
to subsidise these services. These include
• An ‘electronic book’ display mode that enables black-on-white view-
Innovation - making access easier ing in sunlight with very low power consumption;
While personal ICT devices like computers are very common in many • The ability to operate at high temperature and humidity
parts of the world and Australia, the high cost of ownership and con- • No rotating hard drive or other moving parts
necting to the internet and the need for ongoing technical support and • A sealed rubber membrane keyboard
maintenance means that these are not yet so accessible to people in • Rugged thick-walled construction
Indigenous communities. A new device under development that may • An integrated carry handle
help to change this situation, particularly for children, is introduced in • A very low overall power consumption and a number of different
this article - the ‘One Laptop Per Child’ (OLPC) computer. ways to charge batteries.
18 INTERNATIONAL REVIEW 19

Because the unit is intended first and foremost
to be used in educational environments, it in-
corporates a number of special features that
are aimed at adapting existing computing
paradigms (for instance the desktop meta-
phor) to children-centred use and learning.
The desktop view is replaced by an interface
that is focussed on the child’s activities (rather
than applications) to facilitate social collabo-
rative sharing of information within the class
or community of other nearby computer users.
The traditional file concept is replaced with a
chronological journaling approach.
educational facilities, but there are many
children in “developed” countries, such as
Australia, who could equally benefit. A small
number of sample units have been provided to
special interest groups in Australia, including
educational institutions. Discussions are also
in progress between representatives of Aus-
tralia, New Zealand and South Pacific nations
with a view to presenting a proposal to OLPC
for smaller groups in this part of the world to
be included in the program.
Children’s Participation
they commit their own resources (money) to
literally take ownership. If on the other hand
the product is handed out without that essen-
tial assessment process taking place, success
‘Children’s participation’ was commissioned by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
is left to chance.
and explores the issues of environmental sustainability, participatory processes and the role of
children. It is based on the idea that children can and should be involved in the care of and re-
These factors will be very much at play with
sponsibility for the built and natural environment. Hart argues that real participation of children
the ‘One Laptop Per Child’ project.
relies on them being involved at a level appropriate to their age and development, and their
participation being taken seriously rather than being tokenistic. It advocates for the inclusion of
Success of the program will ultimately depend
girls as well as boys and the mixing of age groups.
not only on the technology, but on how it fits
into the school educational environment to
If this occurs, Hart argues, they will gain a genuine appreciation of democracy, a sense of their
deliver learning benefits, and above all, how
own competence and responsibility and a sense of caring for their local environment. Whether
well the units are accepted and ‘owned’ by
this is true is open to debate, but the many case studies and methods certainly provide food for
educators and children.
thought. This book is a refreshing look at an often overlooked area of participation and will
likely make the reader stop and consider opportunities for engaging, including and listening to
OLPC hardware and software children throughout projects, particularly in regards to the built and natural environment.
Music and audio applications including
composition tools Children’s participation: the theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care
High performance mesh wireless network- (Roger A. Hart) Earthscan publications in association with UNICEF 1997. 200pp
ing (802.11s) with the optional addition of
a school server for backup, caching, con-

Drawing of the OLPC and key features by Naomi Kendall.
An important aspect of the shared educational
experience is the ability of the computer users
to network locally with each other. Beyond the
immediate local class group, a low cost server
approach is also under development to provide
common functions like managed Internet ac-
cess.
OLPC is an initiative that aims to provide the
benefits of complex technology to a broad
Pointers to success
As highlighted by Laurence Wilson in an
earlier ‘Our Place’ article (Key lessons for
information and communication technology
projects - Our Place no. 20 1/2003), inter-
national experience has shown that essential
ingredients for success in ICT projects are a
strong community demand for services, and
the community’s active participation in plan-
ning and implementation. Community mem-
The community
tent filtering, and library functions
High resolution display
Light weight hardware
‘Transformer’ hinged display for games or
e-book use
1GigaByte non-volatile (flash) memory
Touchpad /stylus pointing
planning handbook
Linux-based open source software ‘The community planning handbook’ is similar to the previous book in that is based on the idea
Word processing that projects should involve a sharing of decision-making and control. It also shares an interest in
Programming applications community development through the environment and includes examples from a diverse range
Web browsing of communities.
Video camera, speakers, microphone
Communications applications including The handbook primarily explores highly visual, interactive methods that encourage two-way
email, chat and Voice over IP communication between stakeholders. Examples of these include action planning days, design
games, model-making and websites. It is a useful source of inspiration at the beginning of col-
International Support for Indigenous learning laborative projects, and an opportunity for experienced practitioners to reflect and review on
In August this year, the Gates founda- their existing communication methods.
tion announced a prestigious Access and
Learning Award of $1.25M to the North- The community planning handbook: how people can shape their cities, towns and vil-
ern Territory Library to support the great lages in any part of the world (ed. Nick Waters) Earthscan publications 2000. 230 pp
work of the Library in providing Internet
access and learning opportunities to re-
mote Indigenous communities. The award Books reviewed by Naomi Kendall
recognizes the Library’s Our Story data- Centre for Appropriate Technology.
base, which enables Indigenous people to
preserve their stories and culture. This is
the first time the award has been made to BUSH TECHS
an Australian library.
Access to Computers and the Internet Bush Techs #11 Maintaining your air conditioner #27 Septic tanks and absorption trenches

market, which can only succeed economically
through spreading the enormous costs of de-
velopment and manufacturing over very large
scale production volumes. Inevitably, this
demands the involvement of large buying or-
ganisations (typically governments) that can
make bulk wholesale purchasing decisions on
behalf of the people who will use these prod-
ucts at a community or personal level.
OLPC is aiming to deliver 5 to10 million of
its first generation of laptops worldwide, with
the United Nations and national governments
as the intermediaries. Until now, the particu-
lar focus has been on children in developing
countries with large populations and limited
bers must appropriate the technology and
‘own’ the project.
The twin notions of appropriation and ownership
imply that the community has a clear idea of the
purpose to which the facilities will be put – many
ICT projects have failed in the past because the
equipment has simply been put in place to fulfil
the supplier’s own objectives.
When individuals are considering ICT or any
other products and services that are offered to
them, the same arguments apply, although at
a more intuitive level. A person weighs up in
their own mind how useful the product will be
in helping them to do a particular thing, and
Data provided by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics Indigenous Social Survey 2002
showed that only 34.4% of Indigenous
people living in remote areas of Aus-
tralia had used a computer in the past 12
months, and only 21.6% had accessed the
Internet.
References
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Social Survey 2002 Table 22 –
ABS 2004
OLPC website www.laptop.org
BUSH TECHS tell you what we’ve learnt about working #12 Choosing the right door
with technology in remote communities. #13 Choosing a landfill method
Many are fact sheets. Some summarise emerging issues. #14 Dust control
#15 Choosing the right toilet
BUSH TECHS are published in each issue of Our Place. #16 House warming
#1 Hot water #17 Landfill design
#2 Renewable energy #18 Pit toilets
#3 Stormwater harvesting #19 Maintaining your tip
#4 Rainwater harvesting #20 Local radio networks
#5 Gas fittings #21 Water bores
#6 Carbon farming #22 Used oil
#7 Feasibility of gas and dual fuel #23 Waterless composting toilets
#8 How to get a telephone #24 Managing liquid fuel risk
#9 Disinfecting a rainwater tank #25 How to get a wheelchair
#10 Creek crossings #26 Maintaining roads
#28 Looking after your computer in the bush
#29 Pump selection and storage for water supplies
#30 Basic community airstrip inspections
#31 How to develop a project for your community
#32 The use of gas for cooking
#33 Disinfecting a rainwater tank (update)
#34 Renewable Energy in remote communities (up-
date)
#35 Protecting your water places
#36 Making technical information easy to read and
understand
For a free copy of a BUSH TECH, TECH POSTER,
telephone CAT on (08) 8951 4311.
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